They are out there...HUNT THE DEAD!

Popurum was surprised to see so many down in the stairs. He'd come by accident, but the rest followed after him. Including Aldion.

The time for emotions was not there yet, and Popurum quickly got himself up and out of the stairs. He cautiously looked around.

"What happened to the undead? It was right behind me when I fell."

Popurum felt uneasy. All he wanted to do was get somewhere safe. Or as safe as possible.

He hoped he'd be able to tell Aldion everything.

Everyone eventually made it from the unstable house, to the other one and were safe for the moment. They all rested in an upstairs bedroom. Erron and Herod had taken the task of barricading the door downstairs.

"Listen, I don't about all of you, but being stuck under this mountain isn't a good thing. We have no food. I'm making a proposition. We all leave the way Browden and I came in. Then we head back to Kosp, take the Minotaur's ship, and find somewhere warm," Erron said to the group.

Before anyone could answer a cold calculating voice was heard...

"Now that.....sounds like a plan," said Mathias, the darkling who had died at the Battle of Castle Stairin, as he sat perched on the window sill.

Herod turned to regard Erron, "I'm for getting out from under this durn mountain, but do ye think we cannae be scaling that drop you and yer friends came from?"
Erron wrote:
"Now that.....sounds like a plan," said Mathias, the darkling who had died at the Battle of Castle Stairin, as he sat perched on the window sill.


Herod turned to regard Erron, "I'm for getting out from under this durn mountain, but do ye think we cannae be scaling that drop you and yer friends came from? 'Then turning to speak with the darkling', I dinnae know ye darkling, but if'n your here then yer needin' to be away from these cursed sprinters too. Are ye not afraid of them seein' ya? Come down here and help us tether the line so everyone can cross."

Aldion held the infant in his left arm, his back to the window. "Welcome to the life of a hunter, child. Its as much about fighting, as it is escaping to fight again," he told Talkren, who then started to cry, from obvious discomfort and so much movement.

He set Tal on a nearby bed, sticking a make shift pacifier in his mouth. The half-darkling started to calm down quickly, and Aldion began rocking him gently.

Quote:
"Now that.....sounds like a plan," said Mathias.


Aldion drew his longsword, whipped around and pointed the blade towards Mathias. "How the hell are you alive?! You died at the Castle Stairin!" Aldion said, realizing the irony that he had been asked nearly same question a few times himself...

Erron turned at the sound. He had heard that voice before. Mathias. The darkling who had gutted Turk'en on the beaches near Port Skell. The darkling who had cut off Verian's ear and ripped out his ribs. The darkling who had led the undead on the field of battle against Lord Kargin's army at Castle Stairin.

Erron's Castle.

Mathias.

The darkling who had worked for Erron's future self, The Harbinger, and worst of all Sabal.

"GET THAT BABY OUT OF HERE!" Erron yelled rushing Mathias to shove him out of the window. Erron was fast. Aldion was fast. Mathias was faster.

The darkling hopped off the window and dove over Erron in the low ceiling room like a perfect gymnast. Erron's momentum caused him to miss the darkling. As Mathias dove over Erron, he reached down and grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him hard slamming Erron into Herod and Browden.

Mathias landed with a roll and as he came up a dagger flew from his hands slicing Aelemar across the cheek, soaking the blade in very toxic and poisonous hellfolk blood. The blade continued past Aelemar, through the air, and stabbed through one cheek of Aldion, through his mouth, and protruded out the other cheek.

The hellfolk's blood was toxic. All hellfolk blood was. And Aldion wasn't prepared for the effect. He fell onto the bed beside the baby and began convulsing, having a seizure, and foaming at the mouth.

Popurm and Hobmocker stood in front of Mathias. He grabbed the two small creatures faces, palming them both and slammed their heads into one another.

Everyone in the room had fallen to the darkling in under 8 seconds.

Mathias gently picked up the baby who had dropped it's pacifier and had begun crying again.


"Shhhh, there there godspawn. Uncle Mathias is here now. He'll take real good care of you," he said and put a dagger to the baby's throat, "one move out of any of you and I bleed out the little whelp," he finished with a glint in his eye.

"GAH!" was all Herod could get out before the two humans fell into him. Then he heard the blade fly through the air. The dwarf couldn't get out from under them, but he did have one choice left.

Using his free hand Herod pulled the only weapon he could. The crazy darkling grabbed the child and held his blade to the babes throat.

Browden gave him the opening he needed. He raised his arm as if to try to lift himself up and Herod saw the opening.

Herod would have ended this incident withone shot had it not been for Erron shifting making the dwarf lurch forward just as he shot.

BANG!

Herod looked up, his heart stopping for fear that he hit the babe. He breathed a short lived sigh of relief as he saw he didn't hit the babe, but only wounded the darkling in the thigh.

"Brecknar's Tomb! LET THE BABE GO YE DAFT SON OF AN GOBLIN!"

Herod prayed he hadn't doomed the child.

The bullet ripped through Mathias's leg, and he grunted with pain.


"UG! Fool dwarf! You were warned!!" Mathias growled through clenched teeth, flinging the dagger at Herod.

The blade hit Herod in the head sinking deep into his eye socket.

Everyone turned in shock staring at Herod.

"This baby is the only godspawn of Aeon! And it will not usurp my opportunity to stop that abomination headed toward Dead Town, and claiming what is rightfully mine!!" Mathias said in anger.

The darkling ran across the room jumping, and slamming both feet off of the window sill and diving out into the air.

Erron ran to the window.

Mathias was no where to be seen.

"Damn it," Erron whispered. The reality sunk in.

"We have to help these two fast! Get the blade out of the dwarf's eye and someone stop the bleeding before he dies! Someone get some kind of anti-venom out if you have it, or Aldion is going to die as well!"

The group now knew where their destiny lied.

Browden hurried to the dwarf's side. Browden fumbled in his pack. Inside a roll of bandages. For being so big, he wasn't rough. He squinted as he attempted to pull out the blade. He held the bandages close, already they were soaking. Browden blocked out any screams as the blade came out slowly. Quickly, bandages were set into the dwarf's eye.

Browden only kept a small first aid kit. He wasn't a healer by any means. He looked at the others hoping they knew how to do it better. All he hoped was he could help the dwarf.

As Browden took care of the dwarf Erron hurried to Aldion's side.

"Browden, cut out whats left of his eye, and start a fire to heat your blade so we can cauterize the wound!" he yelled to the large man, "Only I get to kill you," Erron whispered to his long time friend, Aldion.

Erron jabbed his fingers into Aldion's mouth just in time, as the elf bit down from seizing. Aldion bit deep into Erron's fingers, and would have bit off his own tongue, "GAH! OK someone help me! There's only one thing that's going to stop this poison since we don't have anti-venom and it's in his blood stream."

"Popurum...lead a zombie to this house. We have to get a zombie to bite him."

Popurum stayed by Aldion's side through the whole thing. He shook and sweated as his great, great grandson sat there in pain. He watched Erron closely. His eyes only strayed when he wiped tears.

When Erron told Popurum what he could do to help, Popurum shook his head violently, accepting his mission.

The riverfolk gave the elf a big hug and whispered.

"Just stay okay. I have to tell you about your grandmother and I..."

And with that Popurum sped off. He hurried out side. He looked around corners and bends very carefully, but hastily. He only wanted one.

He heard some rustling in a house as he was passing. Two undead were shuffling around. One was in the kitchen and one was in the living room. Neither had detected him yet, and Popurum pulled out his Aldion sword carefully. The zombie was wandering around aimlessly, but had his back to Popurum.

Popurum walked over and glanced inside to make sure the zombie in the kitchen was distracted. It was busy swallowing something bigger than its throat. It gagged and Popurum saw. It was a weasel. The pet weasel Popurum had named Aldion. Popurum didn't even think how the weasel had gotten there, but he gasped in disgust.

Both zombies turned to him. The one started to swallow Aldion again, while coming after Popurum. The one in the living room was closer, and had an open mouth. Popurum shoved his Aldion sword up and into the skull killing the one. The blade was stuck and Popurum left it.

He then turned to run out the door. He was at the doorway when he turned and saw the zombie with Aldion in his throat chasing after him. Popurum, though terrified, had managed to find a zombie. He ran towards the others and the elf Aldion, who Popurum hoped was still okay.

You all see a man running from a cave away from zombies
As he runs, he is firing arrows back at them.
The man is running in your direction.

as a 3rd one jumps in front of him, he shoots an arrow right in his eye and kicks him out of his way.
Dacen still runs in your direction.

As Popurum entered the room when he made it back to the house, Erron heard the shuffling and moaning of the horde zombie following. Erron ran out of the bedroom and tacjled it on the stairs both of them tumbling. Erron landed hard and moaned due to the pain in his shoulder. He quickly rolled over onto the zombies back and grabbed a handful of hair with one hand and grabbed the zombie's chin with the other hand to stop it from biting. He then drug the zombie back up the stairs to the bedroom.

He shoved the zombie toward Aldion, still holding it though, and forced its mouth onto the wrist of Aldion.

It bit down sinking it's teeth deep into the elf's wrist.

Erron tugged back on its hair pulled it's mouth and a good chunk of flesh off of Aldion. He then grabbed one of his last remaining crossbow bolts and stabbed it through the back of the undead's head, killing it.

Then they waited.

Aldion stopped convulsing and lay very still.

"Hobmocker! Cut off his arm right above the wound! The cauterize and bandage it!" Erron said.

He then rushed over to Browden and Aelemar and began helping them set some old molded blankets in the bedroom on fire for the cauterization for the dwarf and elf.

At that point he heard fighting outside. He ran to the window half hoping it was Mathias about to die from the hordes and half hoping it wasn't because the darkling had Tal'kren.

Instead he saw an elf firing arrows at undead.

"Up here! Hurry!" Erron yelled at Dacen as he leaned out of the bedroom window.

"Popurum, get downstairs and get the door barricaded after the elf gets in the house," Erron said as he went back to the fire that was now going. "Hurry Hob, we have to get his arm cut off before the infection spreads."

Dacen keeps firing and starts running for the door.
another one jumps infront of the door but Dacen lunges his machetti into the undead's forhead then continues running towards the door.
Once Dacen gets into the building, he slams the door behind him and watches as Popurum barricades the door.

Herod struggled from under the big human, trying to free himself. He was glad to be bandaged, but now the burly dwarf was livid.

"GET OFF ME YE OAF! I'M FOR GETTING ME REVENGE ON THAT DURN DARKLING"

Herod tried to get up but was staggering. His depth perception forever altered with the loss of an eye. The dwarf had the sense to hear Erron's call to cut off the Aldions arm.

"MOVE ASIDE PEOPLE!"

Herod pulled out his knife and picked up his hammer again. He ran to the bed and almost fell onto it himself. He turned to Erron.

"By the lost Gods hold him down!"

The dwarf took his knife and set it in place bringing the kenders hand up to hold it in place.

"Don't ye be letting go fer nuthin'."

Herod climbed up onto the bed and stood poised.


Then he swung down with all his might.


KA-CHUNK!

The arm from just above the elbow fell to the floor of the room.

Blood sprayed from the stump of Aldion's forearm right into Popurum's face.

"Pressure!!" Erron yelled pushing down with Hobmocker as hard as he could on the arm and stump.

Browden then brought the searing blade of heat to the would cauterizing it. They all stood up off of Aldion. He shook violently, and then all of the sudden, lay very calm and still.

"Get ready to...you know...just in case," Erron said to Herod. The dwarf stood near Aldion, ready to end his undead life should that be the case.

Aldion moaned.

Erron checked for a pulse. Aldion's heart beat was rapid.

"I think he's turning," Erron said softly.

Aldion slowly sat up on the bed.

"wuhh..." he moaned.

"Get ready," Erron said with hatred toward Aldion. This wasn't supposed to happen! Not to Aldion. He had always just been in it for the excitement and thrill. Not to escape a worse hell than the one he had known before like Turk'en. Not for revenge like Erron. He had always been in on this hunt of undead simply for the excitement and adventure.

"whuuuu..." Aldion moaned.

"End him," Erron said nodding at Herod.

The dwarf raised his hammer over Aldion's head.

"whuuuutter..." Aldion mumbled.

"STOP!!" Erron shouted, "He said water! Get hims some water!!"

*******************************

Two days had passed. The shores of Nerin Toth were not far off. Mathias had mentioned Dead Town. He had talked of Tal'kren being in his way and about some abomination taking what was his. Erron didn't understand any of it. Why was Tal'kren, just a baby, so important? And who was this abomination?

They had escaped the underneath of the mountain easily enough, and stole the minotaur ship. Aldion hadn't spoken much. He wasn't happy about losing a limb and it would be nearly impossible for him to wield his scythe. Still, he kept the weapon. Popurum never left his side.

Dacen Tainer introduced himself to everyone. Aelemar tried to warm up to Herod to make a friend in the group. Erron never did learn if the dwarf returned the kindness. Browden and Hobmocker both seemed like they were born to sail. They both had a strong grasp of the concepts of sailing.

The shores of Nerin Toth grew closer, as did Dead Town. Off in the distance, Erron could see a gigantic cloud of black smoke.

It was Port Skell. It burned.

*******************************

They anchored a few miles from Dead Town.

The last time Erron was here was when they had all discovered that in the past Erron had used his demonic blood to cast the arcane ritual to bring his wife and son back from the dead, and inadvertently caused the plague to begin. Needless to say, Dead Town was not a good subject or Erron.

At one time the place had been called "The Shining City". The city was huge and was supposed to rival The Epicenter of Aeon. The drakoni were stuck in a cold war with the minotaur and had hired dwarven craftsmen to build "The Shining City". However something had gone terribly wrong killing every dwarf and drakoni and human in the city. That was hundreds of years ago. No one knew what curse this town had. Erron hoped he would never learn.

The group made their way through the city using as much stealth as possible, until they found the town square.

Genesis, spotted them and pointed. Stalkers and Sprinters bound toward the group. Everyone drew their weapons.

"Hold," Genesis said calmly. The sprinters and stalkers stopped.

Genesis had been standing at a fountain and walked calmly over to the group.

"You're here looking for Mathias no doubt," Genesis said, his rotting jaw attempting to form a smile, "well look no further, he is in this city and wishes to claim what is rightfully mine. And you can all help me stop him in this war he is starting. You see the throne sits empty, and there can only be one King of the Undead. Let the Decimation begin."

Continued from Frozen Hell and Re-engineering a Curse...


Blood sprayed from the stump of Aldion's forearm right into Popurum's face.

"Pressure!!" Erron yelled pushing down with Hobmocker as hard as he could on the arm and stump.

Browden then brought the searing blade of heat to the would cauterizing it. They all stood up off of Aldion. He shook violently, and then all of the sudden, lay very calm and still.

"Get ready to...you know...just in case," Erron said to Herod. The dwarf stood near Aldion, ready to end his undead life should that be the case.

Aldion moaned.

Erron checked for a pulse. Aldion's heart beat was rapid.

"I think he's turning," Erron said softly.

Aldion slowly sat up on the bed.

"wuhh..." he moaned.

"Get ready," Erron said with hatred toward Aldion. This wasn't supposed to happen! Not to Aldion. He had always just been in it for the excitement and thrill. Not to escape a worse hell than the one he had known before like Turk'en. Not for revenge like Erron. He had always been in on this hunt of undead simply for the excitement and adventure.

"whuuuu..." Aldion moaned.

"End him," Erron said nodding at Herod.

The dwarf raised his hammer over Aldion's head.

"whuuuutter..." Aldion mumbled.

"STOP!!" Erron shouted, "He said water! Get hims some water!!"

*******************************

Two days had passed. The shores of Nerin Toth were not far off. Mathias had mentioned Dead Town. He had talked of Tal'kren being in his way and about some abomination taking what was his. Erron didn't understand any of it. Why was Tal'kren, just a baby, so important? And who was this abomination?

They had escaped the underneath of the mountain easily enough, and stole the minotaur ship. Aldion hadn't spoken much. He wasn't happy about losing a limb and it would be nearly impossible for him to wield his scythe. Still, he kept the weapon. Popurum never left his side.

Dacen Tainer introduced himself to everyone. Aelemar tried to warm up to Herod to make a friend in the group. Erron never did learn if the dwarf returned the kindness. Browden and Hobmocker both seemed like they were born to sail. They both had a strong grasp of the concepts of sailing.

The shores of Nerin Toth grew closer, as did Dead Town. Off in the distance, Erron could see a gigantic cloud of black smoke.

It was Port Skell. It burned.

*******************************

They anchored a few miles from Dead Town.

The last time Erron was here was when they had all discovered that in the past Erron had used his demonic blood to cast the arcane ritual to bring his wife and son back from the dead, and inadvertently caused the plague to begin. Needless to say, Dead Town was not a good subject or Erron.

At one time the place had been called "The Shining City". The city was huge and was supposed to rival The Epicenter of Aeon. The drakoni were stuck in a cold war with the minotaur and had hired dwarven craftsmen to build "The Shining City". However something had gone terribly wrong killing every dwarf and drakoni and human in the city. That was hundreds of years ago. No one knew what curse this town had. Erron hoped he would never learn.

The group made their way through the city using as much stealth as possible, until they found the town square.

Genesis, spotted them and pointed. Stalkers and Sprinters bound toward the group. Everyone drew their weapons.

"Hold," Genesis said calmly. The sprinters and stalkers stopped.

Genesis had been standing at a fountain and walked calmly over to the group.

"You're here looking for Mathias no doubt," Genesis said, his rotting jaw attempting to form a smile, "well look no further, he is in this city and wishes to claim what is rightfully mine. And you can all help me stop him in this war he is starting. You see the throne sits empty, and there can only be one King of the Undead. Let the Decimation begin."

"Sickening, isn't it." Mathias said.

Calhera turned and saw the Darkling holding the baby. Calhera was so confused. She had traveled from the past to find her true love Popurum. But instead all she found was misery, death, slaughter, and chaos.

However seeing the baby in the Darkling's arms, she saw a ray of hope.

And that ray of hope was quickly extinguished when Mathias put a blade to the infant Tal'kren's throat.

"Not one move Turk'en, or I kill your son," Mathias said threateningly.

"Son?" Calhera asked turning to Turk'en.

Dacen observes the area
interesting place we are in, it seems much like my home town.
Dacen then notices the arguement
"guys, calm down, whats going on?"

Aldion was all Popurum cared about in this world. He had silently began thanking and praying to Calhera, his deceased love, when he was afraid. It was a reaction, and never intentional. It became a crutch sometimes. Every time, though, he felt pain in his heart. Often when he looked at Aldion he'd start to cry. Sometimes it was in fear for Aldion. Many times, it because he saw Calhera in him.

Popurum never left Aldion's side unless to get him water, food, medical, or; in rare moments; when Aldion lost his patience with Popurum. More and more, Popurum grew less and less obsessed with Aldion as a heroic idol. He saw that all the time of course, and was very proud. However, Popurum was seeing this Aldion as he saw the Aldion he and Calhera had together. Still though, Popurum kept it hidden, his relation to this time's Aldion.

Aldion was so focused on everything else, and Popurum wasn't sure how the elf would react being an ancestor to the riverfolk.

Still, Popurum cared for Aldion as much as ever and stood next to him at the fountain as Erron and the giant undead feuded. Popurum barely listened. He turned and looked at the stump of Aldion's arm. He began to get teary eyed.

"Calhera..." he said in a low voice. That just made it harder.

The aniver was relieved that the elf maiden was able to save the darkling. He expressed many times his apologies to Akarmis for almost killing him.

Now, however, they were all in that building, looking at the fountain. A group of living approached. Aarowic moved away from the window and sat down against the wall. He didn't want to see the people get ripped apart.

He sat there, thinking to himself. His ears pinned down and would occasionally twist to listen. He couldn't hear what was going on. It was clear though, that there wasn't any fighting or struggling. He couldn't hear the conversation, but heard mumbling.

Aarowic just sat there waiting for what was going to happen next. He didn't like this Mathi-ass much. His actions with the baby made Aarowic nervous. He gave a low growl as Mathi-ass held the blade and child.

Helping man the ship was a pleasant rush for Browden. Learning the ropes, as it were, were a new challenge. The warrior was almost hesitant to leave the ship. However, he wanted to help these individuals. And see if he couldn't help save that poor infant.

When they first started roaming the town, Browden carried his giant axe with him. He felt very exposed, and paranoid.

He was thankful he had both eyes however. Browden wondered how the dwarf's peripheral vision would work now.

As they approached the fountain and the abomination, Browden was ready to fight. However, Erron was more calm. They spoke, though the discussion made Browden wish to find the ship and sail all the more.

He still held his axe in both hands ready at any moment.

"MATHIAS!" Growled Turk'en as he started to pull out his long knives. The blades that were once embued with the souls of two of Turk'ens former companions. Two souls that were put into Sabal and the Damned Goddess so they could die.

Then Mathias threatened the babes life. and he removed his hands from his blades.

"You died you bastard! We saw your body bleed it's last drops on outside of Castle Stairin. Give the babe to the woman and let us finish this."

Then Turk'en had a quick thought.

"Is Aldion Dead?"

"What is that durn fool doing? I'm nto fer talking to some stiff. I'm fer watching there brains splatter 'derrneath me hammer." Then Herod heard part of the conversation between Erron and Genesis.

"Ye cannea be serious? Siding with the scourge? We're to be fighting WITH dem undead instead of aginst 'em? I'm not fer it. I'm not fer havin' them bit me from behind once we kill th'er enemies. Yer not to be changing me mind either. By the lost gods, yer all daft....

....I can't be believin'...

..."

Herod grumbled on but the other seemed to ignore him after a while. Chalking it up to what dwarves do regardless if they are happy or not.

Sikes was just passing through Deadtown, going where ever the road would take him. He saw the fountain and hoped maybe it would hold some drinkable water, but he wouldn't have the opportunity to find out. He heard something nearing, he quickly dodged in a nearby alley way and watched.

It was a group of uninfected, he hesitated watching them intently, he had to be sure, but again before he had to a chance to react they were approached by the most vile creature, Genesis.

Sikes looked behind him, the alley way was blocked by fallen debris and he couldn't go forward without being seen. He had only managed to hear a little that was said and didn't want no part of it, it wasn't his fight. His only fight was to stay alive.

He watched and waited for the group to take their leave so he could also.

Dacen is confused about the situation so he walks away and observes the area some more.